1. Field of the Invention;
The present invention relates to a game-machine impact simulation apparatus which allows a player to feel a predetermined impact simulation according to a game situation, and a game machine provided with this apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art;
Conventionally, there has been known a game machine for a driving game which is configured so that a player watches an image that is displayed on a monitor screen and performs various pieces of play. This driving-game machine is a game machine for a driving game which gives a situation where a player drives a vehicle virtually. It is configured by: a driver's seat which includes a driving apparatus such as a steering wheel, an accelerator, and further, a brake pedal; and a monitoring apparatus which includes a monitor screen on which a virtual driving road that is visible from this driver's seat is displayed.
The player is supposed to sit down in the driver's seat and perform a driving operation. Specifically, the player appropriately operates the steering wheel, the accelerator, further, the brake pedal or the like, so that the player's vehicle can avoid running into an outside object such as another vehicle, a telegraph pole and a side wall which are displayed on the monitor screen.
In such a conventional driving-game machine, however, while watching an image on a monitor screen, a player simply performs a virtual driving operation. Even if a virtual vehicle of which the player performs the virtual driving operation crashes into an outside object such as another vehicle, a telegraph pole and a side wall which are displayed on the monitor screen, that crash is merely the one which appears with little presence on the screen. Therefore, another such machine has also been known in which if a player's vehicle hits against another vehicle or an outside object on a monitor screen, the player can feel the bump's impact as if the player were really experiencing it. This is realized by giving a deep-sound vibration to a seat on which the player sits, or giving a vibration to a steering wheel.
However, according to such a structure in which a vibration is given to a seat or a steering wheel, in a so-called vehicle-riding game such as a driving game, in general, a player can only feel the vibration as the game. In other words, the player can simply feel a certain level of presence according to the strength of such a vibration. Hence, as a matter of course, there is a limit to staging a virtual impact.